On a small island 100 miles from Tokyo, islanders, mostly fishermen, have
declared resident dolphins to be citizens, fully protected while in the
island's waters

On Sept. 1st of this year the annual dolphin
slaughter will take place in Taiji Cove, Japan. Japan is a nation where up
to 20,000 dolphins are killed yearly. So a new development recently in Japan
is wonderful news in stark contrast as to what usually goes on in Japan. On
a small island 100 miles from Tokyo islanders, mostly fishermen, have
declared resident dolphins to be citizens, fully protected while in the
island's waters.

This tiny island is called Toshima Island. The
fishermen there want to show the world how some Japanese revere and protect
wild dolphins. A long time Japanese ally, Elsa Nature Conservancy, has
pledged to help the Toshima Islanders educate Japan about the wonders of
wild dolphins.

The Toshima Dolphin Project as it is known will
expand knowledge of this unique island and the relationship between the
people of the island and its 16 resident dolphins. The project will provide
a vision that will inspire their fellow countrymen and bring to them an
understanding of the importance of allowing dolphins to remain free and safe
from hunters' blades.

This is a description of the Toshima Dolphin
Project written by Sakae Hemmi of Elsa Nature Conservancy. "In 1995 a
dolphin came to Toshima waters and remained. In 1998 the dolphin, named
Koko, gave birth. The baby was called Piko. The mother and baby were so
revered that they were registered as citizens of the island. Around 2010
several dolphins from Mikura island moved to Toshima and several have given
birth. As of February 2012, a pod of 16 dolphins swims in the waters of
Toshima."

The Dolphin Project was originally spearheaded by a
Mr.Moriyama. Unfortunately the Mr. Moriyama, died in February of this year.
But others have picked up the cause because they feel so strongly that this
message must get out. Currently funds are urgently needed to finish the
project website, send a video team to the island to film the dolphins and
fishermen and to make a DVD for release in Japan. They also plan to hold a
symposium in Tokyo on dolphins in Japanese waters.

But the main
message that The Toshima Dolphin Project wants to portray was expressed by
Sakae Hemmi as: "I think it important to have many people learn and
experience that wild dolphins are animals that we can make friends with and
live together. Toshima is a very important place to raise the Japanese
people's consciousness to protect wild dolphins."

Hopefully with the
efforts of these wonderful fishermen from Toshima Island there may soon come
a day when all dolphins can live off the Japanese coast without threat of
dying in such a cruel manner as currently takes place in Taiji Cove.